


Conflate

by cutsycat



Series: Dictionary.Com Word of the Day Drabbles [962]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-22
Updated: 2017-11-22
Packaged: 2019-02-05 07:30:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12789753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cutsycat/pseuds/cutsycat
Summary: We pick up where left off as Tony reads aloud from the book that Gibbs couldn't read because it was written in cat. Plus the council sticks their noses into Tony and Gibbs' business.





	Conflate

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jane_x80](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jane_x80/gifts).



> Another dictionary.com word of the day drabble. This time from 12/19/2001 for the word [conflate](http://www.dictionary.com/wordoftheday/2001/12/19/conflate).
> 
> conflate  
> To bring together; to fuse together; to join or meld.  
> To combine (as two readings of a text) into one whole.
> 
> This is for jane_x80 as it's her comments that led to this series starting. You can find the comments on previous entries in the series. 
> 
> This is a continuation of [Portend](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8885206), [Ratiocination](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8907304), [Equivocate](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8919556)...[Lugubrious](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9314462), [Obviate](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9374597), [Impugn](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9422147), [Collude](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9499403), [Quiescent](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9548042), [Tutelary](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9632198), [Inveigle](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9768275), [Mawkish](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9800870), [Harangue](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9921134), [Apothegm](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9944711), [Importunate](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10019249), [Flummox](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10052900), [Deride](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10140368), [Prevaricate](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10188086), [Impervious](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10223189), [Euphonious](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10293578), [Dilettante](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10344120), [Variegated](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10353651), [Salient](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10383195), [Inscrutable](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10406043), [Irrefragable](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10437132), [Amity](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10504410), [Pugilist](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10525590), [Modicum](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10588206), [Rapport](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10614960), [Capricious](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10643205), [Acme](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10698432), [Transmogrify](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10736253), [Veritable](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10770294), [Explicate](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10780176), [Succor](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10847319), [Puckish](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11014812), [Hullabaloo](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11063625), [Rapprochement](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11169390), [Nonplus](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11207004), [Bibelot](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11228577), [Irenic](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11264043), [Crux](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11369928), [Rejoinder](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11445468), [Contretemps](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11528985), [Effrontery](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11554785), [Neoteric](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11579103), [Ludic](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11583078), [Arcanum](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11647644), [Diablerie](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11656284), [Eldritch](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11672367), [Sedition](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12322374), [Transmute](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12516188), [Dolorous](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12611772), [Fatidic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12641916), and [Remunerate](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12740088).
> 
> As always comments, kudos, and constructive criticism are greatly appreciated.

# 

Conflate

“The first king of the Cat Kingdom was Leo the Lion. He is well known for founding the Cat Kingdom. Not much is known about him, but his spirit is believed to return periodically in times of great change. When the spirit of Leo appears, he always spouts some unintelligible prophecy. It is not known what happened to Leo, but it is believed he gave his life to protect the Cat Kingdom and that he continues to do so even in death.” Tony read from the book written in Cat about the spirit lion.

“Well that tells us who the lion is, but not what the prophecy means.” Gibbs grumbled.

“Yeah. Sorry, Gibbs. I hoped it would have more information.”

Gibbs pulled Tony close. “It’s fine. We’ll figure it out together. We still need to talk about the belling.”

Tony turned his head away. He didn’t want to talk about the belling. He’d always hoped that Gibbs and him were true mates, but he hadn’t gotten Gibbs’ bell around his neck when he placed his around Gibbs. Of course, it was also possible that the stories his mother had told him had truly been fairytales. With everything that had happened to him, he was finding that harder and harder to believe, though.

Gibbs turned Tony to face him. “Tony, what is it?”

“Later. The council is coming.” Tony tilted his head in the direction of one of the doors. 

Gibbs sighed. He could tell Tony was keeping something secret from him. Gibbs would wait for now. As a sniper, patience was one of the things he excelled at. 

If Tony hoped he’d drop it, Tony would be in for a world of surprise. Gibbs knew it had something to do with the belling. He could wait, but he wouldn’t just let it go.

“Tony!” Sammy yelled, rushing him. “We thought we wouldn’t see you again.”

“Hey, Sammy.” Tony patted her head. “You know you can always come visit.”

“No, I can’t.” Sammy just gave Tony a look that said she knew, he knew, she couldn’t leave her post.

Tony just shrugged. 

“I can’t help, but notice that Gibbs now wears your bell. Have you returned to have the belling ceremony?” Rupert piped up.

“What’s the belling ceremony?” Gibbs butted in.

“It is a ceremony believed to help conflate the two mates and unite them as one.”

“So a marriage?”

“Similar, but there are many differences. We can discuss them at length if you wish.”

Gibbs shook his head. He had no desire to get into huge discussions of what basically amounted to theology. 

“If you are not here for the belling ceremony, why are you here?” Marcie interrupted.

Tony glanced at Gibbs wondering how much of their encounter with the lion that Gibbs would want to share. Gibbs just nodded to Tony. He trusted Tony in this regard. Tony knew this dimension much better than he did, after all. 

Tony wasn’t sure where to start. The Probie had made a huge mess of things and who knows what anyone at NCIS thought was happening at this point in time. Finally, he lifted up the book he had grabbed, “We were visited by Leo the lion.”

“What did he say?” Rupert asked excitedly. It was every historian’s dream to have the prophet appear during their lifetime.

“A bunch of stuff that didn’t make sense. Something about a joining of a human king and a cat king.”

“Wait. I think I’ve seen something about that.” Marcie murmured, perusing the books. “This one.” She held a book up for them to see as she thumbed through it to the portion they cared about.

“When the Human King and the Cat King join, the widow will reveal herself. The sorceress will test their bond. The wizard, the dark wanderer, the shadow, and the brain will also walk their own paths. If the tests are passed, a new era of peace between the Cat Kingdom and the Human Kingdom will arise. Should the tests be failed, darkness will descend upon all the kingdoms and it will be many ages before mankind and cats alike recover. Seek the wise one when you are ready for your journey.” Marcie read aloud.

“That’s almost word for word, what he said.” Tony gasped. 

Gibbs nodded in agreement. “What does it mean?”

“No one knows. Hopefully the meaning will be revealed in time and before anything disastrous happens.” Rupert offered forlornly.

“Well, let’s all stick our heads together and see if we can figure out what the next step is, at least.” Tony suggested.

The rest of the council agreed and they all gathered around the table in the library to look over the book together.

**Author's Note:**

> Also, I'm looking for a writing buddy. Full details are [here](https://cutsycat.livejournal.com/53610.html). It is friends locked, so you'll have to add me as a friend on lj before you can read it. 
> 
> Also, Drakonyashka has translated a couple of my works into Russian. [Tutelage](http://archiveofourown.org/works/12378780) and [Imbue](http://archiveofourown.org/works/12378840). Go support them.
> 
>  **Warning! Warning! 2017 ends in about 2 months. When 2017 ends, the 2017 prompt collection will close.** You have 50 prompts you can use for 2017. Use them up before they go away. Prompts are currently open. If you'd like to prompt me, please do so [here](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/NCIS_Prompts_2017/profile). Note you have to be an ao3 member to do this. 
> 
> When 2018 starts, I will open a 2018 Prompt collection. In fact, I have already created the 2018 Prompt collection [here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/cutsycat_NCIS_Prompts_2018/profile), but sign ups are closed until 2018, so you won't be able to sign up and prompt me on this collection, yet. The 2017 prompts continue to remain over for you to prompt me with until the end of the year.
> 
> If you are not an ao3 member, you can prompt me [here](http://cutsycat.livejournal.com/50701.html). Please follow the same rules as are listed in the above link. However, because this is a handmade prompt form(that thinks it's a poll), it is considerably more limited than what ao3 provides, so please use the ao3 form if you're an ao3 member. Please note the name option is for a name that I can say this is for so that you know it's for you. Since this is for non ao3 members it won't be true gifts, but you will be mentioned in the notes.
> 
> Feel free to leave feedback here if you think something could be improved(either in the prompt process or the story itself).


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